Computer models for analyzing three-dimensional structures may take a great amount of time and money to produce. For example, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) representation of an airplane typically includes simple lines and curves representing the centerline of each primary structural element of the airplane. Manually creating such a model is slow and often repetitive, tedious work.
When a new airplane or airplane derivative concept is proposed, by engineers in the Configuration engineers, it is presented to the other engineering disciplines (e.g. Structures, Aerodynamics, Loads, Weights) as a Configuration Memo. At the same time the Configuration engineers may release a very simplified CAD model based on the Configuration Memo. This Configuration CAD model consists of two dimensional elements, with the fuselage elements on one plane and the wing elements on another. Whether this Configuration CAD model is supplied or not, the data from the Configuration engineers is generally insufficient for downstream analysis, such as Finite Element Modeling (FEM) of the airplane, and is typically slowly enhanced by addition of structural elements generated in manual CAD layouts. The development of the CAD elements, specifically a 3D “wireframe” model, may take many man-hours using existing CAD systems. The term “wireframe” means three dimensional (i.e. drawn in three dimensional space, not on a single plane) lines, points and curves that represent the centerlines of structural members
Typically the CAD model describing the overall airplane configuration is put together from separate CAD models created piecemeal by engineers who design their portion of the structure after coordination with the engineers designing the adjoining structure. Many times, however, the resultant overall CAD model contains inadvertently non-contiguous or redundant CAD elements. Such elements create problems during computerized analysis such as FEM. To solve these problems, the analyst must coordinate with the many engineers who contributed to the overall CAD model, resulting in a lot of time-consuming work to repair the model. Therefore, there exists an unmet need to quickly and easily create 3D wireframe CAD models.